Chez Denise opened in 1954 to serve the overnight workers at the old Les Halles food market, and the spirit of that original clientele persists: the kitchen runs through the night, the portions are sized for people who have been working in the cold since midnight, and the atmosphere is cheerfully boisterous at 3am.
The food is classic Les Halles bistro fare — onion soup, tête de veau, andouillette, onglet — served in absurd quantities. A Parisian institution that has outlasted countless trendier neighbours. Reservations recommended for dinner; walk-ins welcome in the small hours.